By Our Reporter
Shillong, March 25: India and Bangladesh played out a goalless draw in their 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifying match on Tuesday, with both sides failing to convert their chances at the JN Stadium.
Bangladesh looked more threatening in the opening half, creating more attacking opportunities and earning multiple corners.
However, they failed to break through India’s defense and register any clear-cut chances.
India, on the other hand, improved significantly after the break, dominating possession and keeping the visitors under sustained pressure. Despite their attacking intent, goal-scoring opportunities remained scarce.
A nervy moment for India came early in the 12th minute when goalkeeper Vishal Kaith’s clearance struck an opposition player. Bangladesh’s Mohammed Ridoy reacted quickly, firing a left-footed attempt towards an open goal, but Indian defender Subhasish Bose made a crucial goal-line clearance to keep the scores level.
India’s best opportunity in the first half arrived in the 31st minute when Udanta Singh connected with a header off a Liston Colaco cross. However, Bangladesh goalkeeper Mitul Marma stood firm to deny the hosts.
India upped the tempo in the second half, with Bose nearly finding the net in the 68th minute through a long-range strike that narrowly missed the left corner. Five minutes later, Farukh Choudhary’s shot took a deflection off a Bangladeshi defender and went just wide.
In the 84th minute, veteran striker Sunil Chhetri had a golden opportunity with a free header inside the box, but his effort lacked precision and power, allowing Bangladesh to escape unscathed.
Bangladesh midfielder Hamza Choudhury, who plays for Sheffield United on loan from Leicester City, had a quiet outing, struggling to make a significant impact on the game.Both teams will meet again on November 18 in Bangladesh, while India’s next qualifying fixture will be against Hong Kong on June 10 in Kowloon.India entered the match riding high on a 3-0 victory over the Maldives on March 19, a game that marked Chhetri’s return to international football and head coach Manolo Marquez’s first win at the helm.
The Blue Tigers are part of Group C in the third round of the Asian Cup qualifiers, alongside Bangladesh, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Only the group winner, after six home and away fixtures, will secure a place in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.Despite India’s second-half resurgence, neither side managed to find the decisive breakthrough, leaving both teams with a point apiece in their Asian Cup qualification campaign. While Bangladesh’s early pressure kept the hosts on edge, India gradually took control but failed to capitalise on key opportunities. With crucial fixtures ahead, including India’s next test against Hong Kong in June, the Blue Tigers will need to sharpen their attacking edge to stay in contention for a spot in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup